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gentlegiant303's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
sad
slow-paced
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Suicide
waynediane's review against another edition
5.0
5 ++++ stars. This is the Lincoln book to get the essence of who this great character was. Depression and suicidal- he arose to the most challenging of times. So well written, better than any Lincoln book that I have read. It is also, an excellent book to explain depression in the sense of how some use it to there advantage - to get out of bed so to speak- as the author used in his book. NOT a fast read, but something to really understand why people around the world thought of Lincoln bigger than Washington, Jefferson, etc!
kangokaren's review against another edition
5.0
Such a moving book. I was amazed at how often I felt the author was writing my own feelings. And to know they are representative of our wonderful President Lincoln is even more astounding.
caitlinmchugh24's review against another edition
3.0
The premise of this book is fascinating. However, I felt the author went on tangents on irrelevant topics and did not focus his attention on how the war, his marriage to Mary Todd, and the deaths of his children affected Lincoln's emotional state.
I did like how the author placed Lincoln's depression and his life in the context of his time. This book was also for the most part readable, but the last chapter was very dense and sometimes confusing.
I did like how the author placed Lincoln's depression and his life in the context of his time. This book was also for the most part readable, but the last chapter was very dense and sometimes confusing.
anitaashland's review
5.0
This book gives an overview of Lincoln’s life with an emphasis on his depression. The author helps you really get to know Lincoln as a person. The book made me wonder: could Lincoln have accomplished what he did if he hadn’t struggled with depression?
“Whatever greatness Lincoln achieved cannot be explained as a triumph over personal suffering. Rather, it must be accounted for as an outgrowth of the same system that produced that suffering. This is not a story of transformation but one of integration. Lincoln didn’t do great work because he solved the problem of his melancholy. The problem of his melancholy was all the more fuel for the fire of his great work.”
“After his election, a Democratic newspaper told the story of Lincoln’s first breakdown, noting how his friends “placed him under guard for fear of his committing suicide.” The author of the piece, an Illinois Democrat named John Hill, raised the history of depression not to question Lincoln’s fitness for office but to celebrate his triumph over difficulty. The piece enjoined young people that they, too, could become great if they “await the occasions which shall rule their destinies.” If Lincoln were alive today, his depression would be considered a “character issue”—that is, a political liability. But in his time, it may have helped more than it hurt.”
““How was it,” asks Mark Noll, “that this man who never joined a church and who read only a little theology could, on occasion, give expression to profound theological interpretations of the War between the States?” Viewing Lincoln through the lens of his melancholy, we see one cogent explanation: he was always inclined to look at the full truth of a situation, assessing both what could be known and what remained in doubt. When times were hard, he had the patience, endurance, and vigor to stay in that place of tension.”
“Whatever greatness Lincoln achieved cannot be explained as a triumph over personal suffering. Rather, it must be accounted for as an outgrowth of the same system that produced that suffering. This is not a story of transformation but one of integration. Lincoln didn’t do great work because he solved the problem of his melancholy. The problem of his melancholy was all the more fuel for the fire of his great work.”
“After his election, a Democratic newspaper told the story of Lincoln’s first breakdown, noting how his friends “placed him under guard for fear of his committing suicide.” The author of the piece, an Illinois Democrat named John Hill, raised the history of depression not to question Lincoln’s fitness for office but to celebrate his triumph over difficulty. The piece enjoined young people that they, too, could become great if they “await the occasions which shall rule their destinies.” If Lincoln were alive today, his depression would be considered a “character issue”—that is, a political liability. But in his time, it may have helped more than it hurt.”
““How was it,” asks Mark Noll, “that this man who never joined a church and who read only a little theology could, on occasion, give expression to profound theological interpretations of the War between the States?” Viewing Lincoln through the lens of his melancholy, we see one cogent explanation: he was always inclined to look at the full truth of a situation, assessing both what could be known and what remained in doubt. When times were hard, he had the patience, endurance, and vigor to stay in that place of tension.”
kristineneeley's review against another edition
4.0
I felt as if I was seeing Lincoln in a whole new light. And in a way, myself. I’m no stranger to melancholy, and it was powerful to see all the ways in which Lincoln harnessed the spectrum of his emotional awareness to inform his choices as a leader of pour country for a time.
Admittedly, I’ve never read up much on Lincoln before, but I certainly want to do so now, after reading this. It was fascinating, in the epilogue, to follow along with how the changes in perfection of Lincoln’s character have changed with theories of psychology.
Admittedly, I’ve never read up much on Lincoln before, but I certainly want to do so now, after reading this. It was fascinating, in the epilogue, to follow along with how the changes in perfection of Lincoln’s character have changed with theories of psychology.
emilyjoy828's review against another edition
4.0
"I am now the most miserable man living. If what I feel were equally distributed to the whole human family, there would not be one cheerful face on earth. Whether I shall ever be better, I cannot tell; I awfully forebode I shall not. To remain as I am is impossible; I must die or be better, it appears to me." (Quote from Lincoln) (Not a quote from me as I struggled through reading this book...)
When I started reading this book, Obama was still president. Women in Saudi Arabia still weren't allowed to drive. The UK was still a part of the European Union. The spire of Notre Dame still stood in pristine glory. And Meghan Markle...who dat?
It took me over three years to finish this book, but I think that has more to do with my inability to focus and finish when it comes to historical nonficition, rather than any problems with the book itself.
Overall, I am glad to have read Lincoln's Melancholy, as much as I didn't enjoy the slog at times. It gave me a much richer understanding of not only Lincoln (who BTW, is totally a 4w3), but also mental illness and culture's historical perception of depression.
Before reading this, I'd never heard of Lincoln's lifelong battle with severe chronic depression. I was shocked to learn his friends put him on suicide watch multiple times. I'd never read his poems full of despair and suicidal ideation. I didn't know that nearly everyone who knew or met him remarked on his deep sadness and melancholy. And I wonder why I'd never learned of this. Is it because mental illness is not something we'd find desirable in a great historical leader? Or maybe because "'biographies tend conventionally to be structured as crisis-and-recovery narratives in which the subject undergoes a period of disillusionment or adversity, and then has a "breakthrough" or arrives at a "turning point" before going on to achieve whatever sort of greatness obtains.' Lincoln's melancholy doesn't lend itself to such a narrative."
The main point of this book isn't that Lincoln was strong DESPITE of his depression, but that he was actually strong BECAUSE of it. "The burden was a sadness and despair that could tip into a state of disease. But the gift was a capacity for depth, wisdom- even genius... Whatever greatness Lincoln achieved cannot be explained as a triumph over personal suffering. Rather, it must be accounted for as an outgrowth of the same system that produced that suffering. This is not a story of transformation but one of integration. Lincoln didn't do great work because he solved the problem of his melancholy. The problem of his melancholy was all the more fuel for the fire of his great work." Shenk argues that when our culture treats all mental suffering as something to be cured, as well as something unmasculine and weak, we miss out on great works of creativity and ingenuity that often grow out of adversity and mental suffering. "The hope is not that suffering will go away, for with Lincoln it did not ever go away. The hope is that suffering, plainly acknowledged and endured, can fit us for the surprising challenges that await." (This isn't to say that one should never take medicine or get mental health treatment, FYI.)
I think my overall favorite thing about this book was how connected it made me feel to Lincoln as a person. Obviously, I am not saying that I am basically the female version of Honest Abe, but it was really fascinating for me to see how much I could relate to a person who had previously seemed like a stiff historical figure who started every sentence with, "Four score and seven years ago..." The way that Lincoln described his depression was spot on, and the way he used humor as a coping mechanism was something I could fully relate to. This humor, incidentally, often left his friends feeling whiplashed. How could he go from so sorrowful and despairing one minute to cracking a joke the next? But when you've been in that place of despair, you understand that humor and laughter are sometimes the only things that make you feel sane. "The psychologist George Vaillant... identifies humor as the most effective [coping mechanism] of all, even among a handful of other 'mature strategies.'.. One can be lively without pushing from his mind what is painful and real."
While the author doesn't shy away from Lincoln's faults, overall, I left this book with a greater respect for him as a man and leader. One of my favorite quotes: "Once a minister remarked to Lincoln something along the lines of 'I hope the Lord is on our side.' Lincoln said he didn't agree, adding, in substance, 'I hope we are on the Lord's side.'" Would any president now even dare to venture that his side might not be the right side/the Lord's side?
I'll leave you with one last note from Lincoln: "I will make no apology, gentlemen, for my weakness."
When I started reading this book, Obama was still president. Women in Saudi Arabia still weren't allowed to drive. The UK was still a part of the European Union. The spire of Notre Dame still stood in pristine glory. And Meghan Markle...who dat?
It took me over three years to finish this book, but I think that has more to do with my inability to focus and finish when it comes to historical nonficition, rather than any problems with the book itself.
Overall, I am glad to have read Lincoln's Melancholy, as much as I didn't enjoy the slog at times. It gave me a much richer understanding of not only Lincoln (who BTW, is totally a 4w3), but also mental illness and culture's historical perception of depression.
Before reading this, I'd never heard of Lincoln's lifelong battle with severe chronic depression. I was shocked to learn his friends put him on suicide watch multiple times. I'd never read his poems full of despair and suicidal ideation. I didn't know that nearly everyone who knew or met him remarked on his deep sadness and melancholy. And I wonder why I'd never learned of this. Is it because mental illness is not something we'd find desirable in a great historical leader? Or maybe because "'biographies tend conventionally to be structured as crisis-and-recovery narratives in which the subject undergoes a period of disillusionment or adversity, and then has a "breakthrough" or arrives at a "turning point" before going on to achieve whatever sort of greatness obtains.' Lincoln's melancholy doesn't lend itself to such a narrative."
The main point of this book isn't that Lincoln was strong DESPITE of his depression, but that he was actually strong BECAUSE of it. "The burden was a sadness and despair that could tip into a state of disease. But the gift was a capacity for depth, wisdom- even genius... Whatever greatness Lincoln achieved cannot be explained as a triumph over personal suffering. Rather, it must be accounted for as an outgrowth of the same system that produced that suffering. This is not a story of transformation but one of integration. Lincoln didn't do great work because he solved the problem of his melancholy. The problem of his melancholy was all the more fuel for the fire of his great work." Shenk argues that when our culture treats all mental suffering as something to be cured, as well as something unmasculine and weak, we miss out on great works of creativity and ingenuity that often grow out of adversity and mental suffering. "The hope is not that suffering will go away, for with Lincoln it did not ever go away. The hope is that suffering, plainly acknowledged and endured, can fit us for the surprising challenges that await." (This isn't to say that one should never take medicine or get mental health treatment, FYI.)
I think my overall favorite thing about this book was how connected it made me feel to Lincoln as a person. Obviously, I am not saying that I am basically the female version of Honest Abe, but it was really fascinating for me to see how much I could relate to a person who had previously seemed like a stiff historical figure who started every sentence with, "Four score and seven years ago..." The way that Lincoln described his depression was spot on, and the way he used humor as a coping mechanism was something I could fully relate to. This humor, incidentally, often left his friends feeling whiplashed. How could he go from so sorrowful and despairing one minute to cracking a joke the next? But when you've been in that place of despair, you understand that humor and laughter are sometimes the only things that make you feel sane. "The psychologist George Vaillant... identifies humor as the most effective [coping mechanism] of all, even among a handful of other 'mature strategies.'.. One can be lively without pushing from his mind what is painful and real."
While the author doesn't shy away from Lincoln's faults, overall, I left this book with a greater respect for him as a man and leader. One of my favorite quotes: "Once a minister remarked to Lincoln something along the lines of 'I hope the Lord is on our side.' Lincoln said he didn't agree, adding, in substance, 'I hope we are on the Lord's side.'" Would any president now even dare to venture that his side might not be the right side/the Lord's side?
I'll leave you with one last note from Lincoln: "I will make no apology, gentlemen, for my weakness."
sterlinglacroix's review against another edition
3.0
Lincoln’s depression is something I’ve always been aware of, but never looked into deeply. This book gave me a deeper appreciation of mental health, how it effected Lincoln, and how it still effects people today, including myself. This is unlike any other biography I’ve ever read, at times you forget Lincoln is even the focus. The work is engaging, the writing style accessible, didn’t have any trouble finishing this one.
betsyrisen's review against another edition
5.0
“In Lincoln’s middle years, a loud insistence on his own woe evolved into a quiet, disciplined yearning. He yoked his feelings to a style of severe self-control, articulating a melancholy that was, more than anything, philosophical. He saw the world as a sad, difficult place from which he expected considerable suffering.”
“A person with a melancholy temperament had been fated with both an awful burden and what Byron called “a fearful gift.” The burden was a sadness and despair that could tip into a state of disease. But the gift was a capacity for depth, wisdom—even genius.
“I am now the most miserable man living. If what I feel were equally distributed to the whole human family, there would not be one cheerful face on the earth. Whether I shall ever be better I can not tell; I awfully forebode I shall not. To remain as I am is impossible; I must die or be better, it appears to me.”
I've always been fascinated by what little I have known about Lincoln's personality/depression. I was a fully formed human being before I understand the real depth of his mental health issues and the effect they had on him. I have had this book on my list forever, and it did not disappoint. Not only a wonderful, accessible history of Lincoln's life itself and how his mental health led his life choices, but a comprehensive history of the way depression is viewed in this country (as a broader subject as well as in relation to its well known figures). It was a lot, and it was sad, and I'll be processing all of it for awhile. But I would certainly recommend.
“A person with a melancholy temperament had been fated with both an awful burden and what Byron called “a fearful gift.” The burden was a sadness and despair that could tip into a state of disease. But the gift was a capacity for depth, wisdom—even genius.
“I am now the most miserable man living. If what I feel were equally distributed to the whole human family, there would not be one cheerful face on the earth. Whether I shall ever be better I can not tell; I awfully forebode I shall not. To remain as I am is impossible; I must die or be better, it appears to me.”
I've always been fascinated by what little I have known about Lincoln's personality/depression. I was a fully formed human being before I understand the real depth of his mental health issues and the effect they had on him. I have had this book on my list forever, and it did not disappoint. Not only a wonderful, accessible history of Lincoln's life itself and how his mental health led his life choices, but a comprehensive history of the way depression is viewed in this country (as a broader subject as well as in relation to its well known figures). It was a lot, and it was sad, and I'll be processing all of it for awhile. But I would certainly recommend.
milandeep's review against another edition
3.0
This book by Joshua Wolf Shenk was good in parts. The parts which cover Lincoln's melancholy and how melancholy was perceived during his times were quite engaging. The author gives a brief history of depression and mental illness and how it was treated by ‘doctors’ in the mid-nineteenth century. Sadness was quite common and quite acceptable in Lincoln’s era. None of his friends considered his sad temperament to be a disabling factor in social or political aspects. Where the book falters is when the author tries to link Lincoln's melancholy with religion and Christianity. Trying to show how religious Abe was based on how frequently he utters the word 'God' was quite annoying.
Let us also not forget that Lincoln always enjoyed telling jokes and stories. He always enjoyed humor and was always ready to poke fun at himself or read jokes made on him.
The author also shows how depression can fuel creativity when channeled properly as was done by Abe. At the end of the book, the author shows how the perception of Lincoln has changed over the years and how his different biographers have treated him by ignoring some facts and highlighting others.. This is not a biography but a way to look at Lincoln from a different lens. Recommended for anyone who has an interest in Lincoln once they have read an actual biography first.
Let us also not forget that Lincoln always enjoyed telling jokes and stories. He always enjoyed humor and was always ready to poke fun at himself or read jokes made on him.
The author also shows how depression can fuel creativity when channeled properly as was done by Abe. At the end of the book, the author shows how the perception of Lincoln has changed over the years and how his different biographers have treated him by ignoring some facts and highlighting others.. This is not a biography but a way to look at Lincoln from a different lens. Recommended for anyone who has an interest in Lincoln once they have read an actual biography first.